If I were to continue the 'years as sequels’ conceit I began in 2017 (“the messier, uglier sequel to 2016”) then 2018 fits quite snugly into the mould of the 'terrible third instalment’. Like The Matrix Revolutions or Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey? 2018 took what you thought couldn't get any worse and somehow proved you resoundingly wrong. 2018 was just a miserably aimless year, as the distance from the dreadful decisions made in 2016 increased further and the reasons for making them became even less clear. Fortunately, whilst the real world repeatedly let us down, the film world did not. I mean, we even got a good Transformers film! Hopefully, much like Bumblebee, 2019 will be the much-needed reboot that reverses our seemingly perpetual descent into despair, but right now I can't think of anything better to do than to look back on some of the best films 2018 had to offer. According to me.
Honourable Mentions
Firstly, here are a handful of films I enjoyed this year but weren’t quite good enough to make it on to the list.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Ant-Man and the Wasp
The perfect film to follow the intense scale of Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp brings the MCU back down to earth with charming characters and delightful humour.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
I mostly left this off the list because it’s impossible to compare it to anything else from this year, but Bandersnatch is a remarkably innovative film that brilliantly utilises its central gimmick to thoroughly mess with your head.
Bohemian Rhapsody
It’s largely an exercise in spectacle, but what a spectacle Bohemian Rhapsody is, thanks largely to Rami Malek’s phenomenal performance and the unstoppable strength of Queen’s music.
Bumblebee
Whilst no masterpiece, Bumblebee is a long overdue reset of the Transformers franchise that realises nostalgia is its best asset.
Coco
A beautiful and mature Pixar film with powerful reflections on grief that will connect with young and old audiences alike.
Deadpool 2
A significant improvement on the original, Deadpool 2 is both ridiculously hilarious and surprisingly sincere.
Incredibles 2
Another excellent Pixar outing that’s stylishly animated and sharply written, only letting itself down with a disappointingly predictable twist.
The Little Stranger
It’s far from the fastest moving film of the year, but The Little Stranger is richly engrossing thanks to the intricate subtlety of its performances and filmmaking.
Love, Simon
It’s a very sanitised and conventional teen romance, but that’s exactly what makes Love, Simon a triumph for representation, giving mainstream audiences an LGBT love story they can see in the multiplexes.
Mission Impossible: Fallout
Another solid Mission Impossible from director Christopher McQuarrie, filled with exhilarating stunts whilst avoiding dragging as much as the previous outing.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
I mostly left this off the list because it’s impossible to compare it to anything else from this year, but Bandersnatch is a remarkably innovative film that brilliantly utilises its central gimmick to thoroughly mess with your head.
Bohemian Rhapsody
It’s largely an exercise in spectacle, but what a spectacle Bohemian Rhapsody is, thanks largely to Rami Malek’s phenomenal performance and the unstoppable strength of Queen’s music.
Bumblebee
Whilst no masterpiece, Bumblebee is a long overdue reset of the Transformers franchise that realises nostalgia is its best asset.
Coco
A beautiful and mature Pixar film with powerful reflections on grief that will connect with young and old audiences alike.
Deadpool 2
A significant improvement on the original, Deadpool 2 is both ridiculously hilarious and surprisingly sincere.
Incredibles 2
Another excellent Pixar outing that’s stylishly animated and sharply written, only letting itself down with a disappointingly predictable twist.
The Little Stranger
It’s far from the fastest moving film of the year, but The Little Stranger is richly engrossing thanks to the intricate subtlety of its performances and filmmaking.
Love, Simon
It’s a very sanitised and conventional teen romance, but that’s exactly what makes Love, Simon a triumph for representation, giving mainstream audiences an LGBT love story they can see in the multiplexes.
Mission Impossible: Fallout
Another solid Mission Impossible from director Christopher McQuarrie, filled with exhilarating stunts whilst avoiding dragging as much as the previous outing.
Ready Player One
Like Bohemian Rhapsody, Ready Player One’s spectacle prevents a far more interesting film from breaking through, but director Steven Spielberg still crafts it with all the wonder and whimsy you’d expect.
17. Possum
Matthew Holness' directorial debut is truly horrifying in ways that don't completely reveal themselves until long after the film has finished. Possum tells the relentlessly grim story of disgraced puppeteer Philip, a character crippled by repressed trauma that manifests in the form of the grotesque puppet the film is named after. Holness presents Philip's attempts to destroy the possum in hypnotically disturbing fashion thanks to a series of hallucinatory montages and an excruciating lead performance from Sean Harris. An unforgettable aesthetic of unbearable misery is created through the grimy colour palette and freaky electronic score, provided by the legendary Radiophonic Workshop, resulting in a horror film whose terrors continue to creep up on you even when you're no longer watching it.
16. A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is impressive for the way it transforms its two leads. Cooper himself confidently pulls off the conflicting character of the falling rock star, convincingly behaving like both a huge celebrity and someone desperately clinging on to a life that's slipping out of their hands. However, Lady Gaga is the obvious revelation here. Whilst she's acted before on the small screen, this is her feature film debut. What's so brilliant about her performance is how she avoids the urge to be Lady Gaga and instead completely disappears into the character of Ally. Gaga is entirely believable as an ordinary person experiencing stardom for the first time and it's that performance, along with Cooper's, that earns A Star is Born its spot on this list.
15. I, Tonya
An irreverently meta biopic, I, Tonya explores the controversial life of former figure skater Tonya Harding with brutal energy. Raising the concept of the unreliable narrator to riotous new heights, I, Tonya takes full advantage of the mystery surrounding its real-life story. Frequent fourth wall breaks ensure you remain sceptical about the chain of events being presented to you, but crucially that’s never done at the expense of the emotion of the film. Thanks to some stunning performances, especially from Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, you’re able to care about these characters despite the constant bending of the truth. In particular, Harding herself is given a powerfully sympathetic portrait that cuts through her ugly reputation and forces you to consider her as a real human being.
14. Bad Times at the El Royale
Drew Goddard’s delightfully twisted thriller Bad Times at the El Royale is the most elaborately engaging film of 2018. Shrouded in deeply engrossing mystery at every turn, Goddard’s ingenious script dexterously guides the viewer through a masterfully multi-layered narrative. The sordid set-design, indulgent cinematography and distinctive score further bolster the film’s spectacle with an intricate and unforgettable aesthetic. However, Goddard reinforces what’s on the surface with unexpectedly deep characters and themes. The result is a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of morality, pulled off by an undeniably impressive ensemble cast that includes huge hitters like Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges and less seasoned performers like Lewis Pullman and Cynthia Erivo producing equally stunning work.
13. The Post
I recently rewatched The Post and I did not do it justice with that measly paragraph I wrote the other week. Despite being grounded entirely in reality, this is Spielbergian magic at its finest. If you’re the kind of person that finds Spielberg too sentimental then this probably won’t work for you, but for me, The Post powerfully taps into some of the most important issues of the 21st century. Exploring the Washington Post’s efforts to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, Spielberg reflects thoughtfully on the past to make an urgent and timely case for the freedom of the press. The Post is also an incredibly engaging political thriller and a boldly feminist film, carried by an inexpressibly wonderful performance by the legendary Meryl Streep.
12. Black Panther
This thrilling afro-futurist entry into the MCU is by far Marvel’s most beautifully crafted film to date. Of course, much of the credit can be given to Ryan Coogler, who has written and directed an impressively complex and deeply relevant study of international politics and race relations hidden behind an enthralling superhero blockbuster. However, this film’s successes can’t be attributed to just one person, as every department does some of the most inventive work ever seen in the MCU. The music, cinematography and set design are particularly incredible, thanks to a rich appreciation of African culture, resulting in the most aesthetically unique and thematically involved Marvel film yet.
11. Annihilation
Mainstream science fiction is typically more focused on spectacle and action. Consequently, its potential for other-worldly weirdness is too often neglected. Fortunately, Alex Garland’s latest film Annihilation takes advantage of the genre’s trippier leanings with mesmerising indulgence. The visual effects department have done a spellbinding job, crafting intricately psychedelic images that range from the horrifying to the sublime, whilst Garland’s direction takes the viewer on a thrilling roller coaster through gripping tension and overwhelming awe. Centred around an emotionally grounded performance from Natalie Portman, Annihilation is further proof that Garland is one of the most exciting voices in sci-fi.
Like Bohemian Rhapsody, Ready Player One’s spectacle prevents a far more interesting film from breaking through, but director Steven Spielberg still crafts it with all the wonder and whimsy you’d expect.
Okay, now it's time for the list itself. Here are numbers twenty to eleven of my favourite films of 2018. I bet you can't wait.
20. Mary Poppins Returns
I really wasn't expecting to love this film nearly as much as I did but it genuinely charmed me. Mary Poppins Returns follows an intentionally familiar structure, with each song number recalling the spirit of their original counterparts. However, within that structure the film makes sure to do things differently, devising new magical experiences for the audience and progressing the original characters in surprisingly thoughtful ways. Emily Blunt takes on the titular role rather well, not exactly surpassing Julie Andrews but doing an admiral job all the same. However, for me, Ben Wishaw's grown-up Michael is the emotional heart of the film, in much the same way that Mr Banks' character arc is actually the most significant in the original. It's rare that a sequel this late is ever any good, so Mary Poppins Returns was an undeniably delightful surprise.
19. BlacKkKlansman
Spike Lee's riotously entertaining middle finger to racism is a masterfully constructed period piece that's also explicitly relevant to the present day. Huge laughs are created by the outrageous absurdity of the true life story, whilst disturbing parallels are drawn between the rhetoric of the KKK and the language of Donald Trump. It's a difficult tonal balance that Lee doesn't always pull off smoothly. However, this jarring juxtaposition often serves to emphasise the severity of the issues the film is exploring. This is particularly apparent in the film's shocking final moments, which stunned the entire audience I saw it with into silence. BlacKkKlansman is also filled with assured performances and looks gorgeously stylish in a way that isn't intrusive, taking full advantage of its slick '70s aesthetic. Ultimately, Spike Lee's latest is as hilarious as it is hard-hitting.
18. Molly's Game
Aaron Sorkin's first foray into directing is exactly the furiously fast-paced experience you'd expect. Sorkin has created a sort of thriller-with-words, driven by his rapid-fire dialogue and reinforced by the equally snappy editing and dazzlingly glamorous cinematography. It's also an intriguing change of focus in comparison to the kind of characters he's previously explored on the big screen. Jessica Chastain plays Molly as a genuinely empathetic character, in contrast to the unlikeable narcissists that populated The Social Network and Steve Jobs. This makes Molly's Game arguably Sorkin's most emotionally engaging film yet, as well as a reminder of why his thrilling style is so successful.
17. Possum
Matthew Holness' directorial debut is truly horrifying in ways that don't completely reveal themselves until long after the film has finished. Possum tells the relentlessly grim story of disgraced puppeteer Philip, a character crippled by repressed trauma that manifests in the form of the grotesque puppet the film is named after. Holness presents Philip's attempts to destroy the possum in hypnotically disturbing fashion thanks to a series of hallucinatory montages and an excruciating lead performance from Sean Harris. An unforgettable aesthetic of unbearable misery is created through the grimy colour palette and freaky electronic score, provided by the legendary Radiophonic Workshop, resulting in a horror film whose terrors continue to creep up on you even when you're no longer watching it.
16. A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut is impressive for the way it transforms its two leads. Cooper himself confidently pulls off the conflicting character of the falling rock star, convincingly behaving like both a huge celebrity and someone desperately clinging on to a life that's slipping out of their hands. However, Lady Gaga is the obvious revelation here. Whilst she's acted before on the small screen, this is her feature film debut. What's so brilliant about her performance is how she avoids the urge to be Lady Gaga and instead completely disappears into the character of Ally. Gaga is entirely believable as an ordinary person experiencing stardom for the first time and it's that performance, along with Cooper's, that earns A Star is Born its spot on this list.
15. I, Tonya
An irreverently meta biopic, I, Tonya explores the controversial life of former figure skater Tonya Harding with brutal energy. Raising the concept of the unreliable narrator to riotous new heights, I, Tonya takes full advantage of the mystery surrounding its real-life story. Frequent fourth wall breaks ensure you remain sceptical about the chain of events being presented to you, but crucially that’s never done at the expense of the emotion of the film. Thanks to some stunning performances, especially from Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, you’re able to care about these characters despite the constant bending of the truth. In particular, Harding herself is given a powerfully sympathetic portrait that cuts through her ugly reputation and forces you to consider her as a real human being.
14. Bad Times at the El Royale
Drew Goddard’s delightfully twisted thriller Bad Times at the El Royale is the most elaborately engaging film of 2018. Shrouded in deeply engrossing mystery at every turn, Goddard’s ingenious script dexterously guides the viewer through a masterfully multi-layered narrative. The sordid set-design, indulgent cinematography and distinctive score further bolster the film’s spectacle with an intricate and unforgettable aesthetic. However, Goddard reinforces what’s on the surface with unexpectedly deep characters and themes. The result is a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of morality, pulled off by an undeniably impressive ensemble cast that includes huge hitters like Chris Hemsworth and Jeff Bridges and less seasoned performers like Lewis Pullman and Cynthia Erivo producing equally stunning work.
13. The Post
I recently rewatched The Post and I did not do it justice with that measly paragraph I wrote the other week. Despite being grounded entirely in reality, this is Spielbergian magic at its finest. If you’re the kind of person that finds Spielberg too sentimental then this probably won’t work for you, but for me, The Post powerfully taps into some of the most important issues of the 21st century. Exploring the Washington Post’s efforts to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, Spielberg reflects thoughtfully on the past to make an urgent and timely case for the freedom of the press. The Post is also an incredibly engaging political thriller and a boldly feminist film, carried by an inexpressibly wonderful performance by the legendary Meryl Streep.
12. Black Panther
This thrilling afro-futurist entry into the MCU is by far Marvel’s most beautifully crafted film to date. Of course, much of the credit can be given to Ryan Coogler, who has written and directed an impressively complex and deeply relevant study of international politics and race relations hidden behind an enthralling superhero blockbuster. However, this film’s successes can’t be attributed to just one person, as every department does some of the most inventive work ever seen in the MCU. The music, cinematography and set design are particularly incredible, thanks to a rich appreciation of African culture, resulting in the most aesthetically unique and thematically involved Marvel film yet.
11. Annihilation
Mainstream science fiction is typically more focused on spectacle and action. Consequently, its potential for other-worldly weirdness is too often neglected. Fortunately, Alex Garland’s latest film Annihilation takes advantage of the genre’s trippier leanings with mesmerising indulgence. The visual effects department have done a spellbinding job, crafting intricately psychedelic images that range from the horrifying to the sublime, whilst Garland’s direction takes the viewer on a thrilling roller coaster through gripping tension and overwhelming awe. Centred around an emotionally grounded performance from Natalie Portman, Annihilation is further proof that Garland is one of the most exciting voices in sci-fi.
Well, that was numbers twenty to eleven of my favourite films of 2018. Look out for numbers ten to one coming soon.
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